Hibiscus Plant Named &#39;SHIMRR38&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘SHIMRR38’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous and uniform growth habit; flowers with reddish purple-colored petals with dark red-colored centers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Hibiscus syriacus

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SHIMRR38’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscusplant, botanically known as Hibiscus syriacus, commercially known asRose-of-Sharon or Althea, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivarname ‘SHIMRR38’.

The new Hibiscus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. The objectiveof the breeding program was to develop new Hibiscus plants withattractive flower forms and colors.

The new Hibiscus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in July, 2001 of Hibiscus syriacus ‘SKK 14-1-15’, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with Hibiscus syriacus‘Songam’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hibiscusplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in August, 2003 as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do,Korea.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus plant by softwood cuttingssince March, 2004 in a controlled environment in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do,Korea has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SHIMRR38’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SHIMRR38’ as a new and distinct Hibiscus plant:

1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Vigorous and uniform growth habit.

3. Flowers with reddish purple-colored petals with dark red-coloredcenters.

4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘SKK 14-1-15’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily fromplants of ‘SKK 14-1-15’ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘SKK14-1-15’ have pink-colored petals.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Songam’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of‘Songam’ in plant size as plants of the new Hibiscus are more compactthan plants of ‘Songam’.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscussyriacus ‘Woodbridge’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Hibiscus differedfrom plants of ‘Woodbridge’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more compact than plants of‘Woodbridge’.

2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and ‘Woodbridge’ differed in flower coloras plants of ‘Woodbridge’ had flowers with fuchsia pink-colored petalswith dark pink-colored centers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can also be compared to plants of theHibiscus syriacus ‘SHIMRV24’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 13/998,439. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in GrandHaven, Mich., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of‘SHIMRV24’ in flower color as plants of ‘SHIMRV24’ had flowers withpurple-colored petals with dark red purple-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hibiscus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hibiscus plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a sideperspective view of a typical plant of ‘SHIMRR38’ grown in a container.The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘SHIMRR38’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in three-gallon containers during thesummer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich. andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Hibiscus production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from ranged from 5° C. to 10° C.Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the following detailed description, color references are madeto The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, exceptwhere general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification:    -   -   Hibiscus syriacus ‘SHIMRR38’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hibiscus syriacus ‘SKK 14-1-15’,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Hibiscus syriacus ‘Songam’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at            temperatures about 25° C. to 27C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 days at            temperatures about 20° C. to 22C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 to 50            days at temperatures about 25° C. to 27C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 to 70            days at temperatures about 20° C. to 22C.        -   Root description.—Fine; yellowish in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively compact            and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous and            uniform growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, usually about six            primary branches with numerous secondary lateral branches.            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development.        -   Plant height.—About 60.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 63 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 23 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Aspect.—About 30° to 45° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong, rigid.        -   Texture, immature.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, mature.—Woody.        -   Color, immature.—Close to 143A.        -   Color, mature.—Close to 199B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.75 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Crenate, lobed.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 135A;            venation, close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 138B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.            Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent. Texture, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 137A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers;            flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering habit with            usually about nine flowers developing per lateral branch;            flowers face upright to mostly outwardly.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last for about two to three days            on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Hibiscus flower            continuously from late spring to late summer in Michigan.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.75 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 138B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement and quantity: Single whorl of five            petals; petals imbricate. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About            2.9 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Texture, lower surface: Slightly            pubescent.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: Close to 76A; towards            the base, close to 59A. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 76D; towards the base, close to 58A. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 73A; towards the base, close to 59C; at            the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 73A and 59C;            main color becoming closer to 76A with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 73A; towards the base, close            to 60A; venation, close to 73A and 60A; main color becoming            closer to 76A with development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement and quantity: Single whorl of six sepals            fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Narrowly acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Slightly pubescent; rough. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 139B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:            About 25° from stem axis. Strength: Strong; rigid. Texture:            Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per            flower: About 30. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament            color: Close to 155B. Anther shape: Round. Anther length:            About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Amount of pollen:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Gynoecium: Quantity            of pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3.7 cm.            Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to 155C. Stigma            appearance: Five-parted, rounded. Stigma color: Close to            155A. Ovary color: Close to 155C and 60B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Hibiscus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to    have excellent garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,    drought and temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘SHIMRR38’ asillustrated and described.